Local authorities say large parts of the Great Barrier Reef show signs of minor to severe bleaching ahead of a visit by UN officials. Their findings will impact whether the World Heritage Site status will be downgraded.

The government must commit resources to fight the most pressing "danger" of climate change, former defense officials said in an open letter. "Australia has failed when it comes to climate threats," the letter read.

Australia is caught in the middle of the US-China trade dispute, which is dominating Davos this year. Meanwhile, Australia has just booked its 27th consecutive year of growth, says Finance Minister Mathias Cormann.

The prime ministers of both countries witnessed the signing of the deal in a virtual ceremony. Australia wants to curb dependence on China as its largest trading partner.

At least 306 people have been killed in flooding around Durban in South Africa. On a visit to the stricken city, President Cyril Ramaphosa described the devastation as a "catastrophe of enormous proportions". Also, Amnesty International accuses Mali of stalling war crimes and abuse investigations. And after the French city of Bordeaux, the international tour of an exhibition highlighting the African experience heads to Abidjan in Ivory Coast.

Thousands have been displaced and scores are missing in what is considered to be one of the worst natural disasters on record. South Africa's weather service is warning of even more heavy rains.

The death toll from South Africa's unprecedented floods has risen to nearly 400. Police army and volunteers have widened the search, and the dozens of people still missing after the storm that devastated Durban over the weekend. In Senegal, citizens express their anger at the failures of the healthcare system after a pregnant woman died in hospital. And in South Sudan, the World Food Programme warns that millions are on the brink of hunger.

Thousands of troops have been deployed to South Africa's flood-ravaged KwaZulu-Natal province where residents are still searching for the missing more than a week after torrential rains began.

South Africa is grappling with one of the biggest natural disasters in the country's history. Floods killed more than 400 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Capitol Police told staff to evacuate on Wednesday evening, citing an "aircraft that poses a probable threat." The flight, it later transpired, was routine. Politicians were quick to lambast the communication breakdown.

Helicopters and sniffer dogs joined search and rescue teams on the ground, looking for bodies after heavy rains caused flooding , close to Durban in South Africa on Tuesday

Residents of Liberia's capital Monrovia say waste management has become a full blown crisis with just a few trucks to collect garbage that is dumped on the streets and beaches.